“We’ll see. It doesn’t matter where I play, just work hard and play my game,” said O’Dell, who is riding a two-game goal-scoring streak. “It’s good they’re noticing me out there and shaking me around.”

O’Dell, who was leading the St. John’s IceCaps in scoring at the time of his recall, has two goals in eight games with the Jets while averaging just under seven minutes of ice time per game.

“Those first couple of games, I didn’t really know what to expect playing on the fourth line,” said O’Dell. “I’m not too much of a hitter and a grinder, but I adjusted to it and learned to do it pretty well.”

Scoring in your first game under a new head coach certainly can’t hurt the cause of O’Dell to try and carve out a larger role for himself.

“I don’t know Paul (Maurice) too well, but I think I made a pretty good impression last game and hopefully I can continue to what I’m doing here and just learn from him,” said O’Dell, who had 12 goals and 29 points in 28 games in the American Hockey League this season. “It’s an auditioning process.”

Jets left-winger Eric Tangradi, who missed Monday’s game with the flu, could draw back into the lineup, though fellow forward Evander Kane remains day-to-day with a hand injury.

“He’s not there yet, it’s a deep cut and I want that thing healed,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice.

Speaking of injured players, centre Jim Slater (sports hernia) and winger Matt Halischuk (fractured forearm) went out for a skate after practice Wednesday, though Maurice didn’t have a timetable for their possible return.

Defenceman Grant Clitsome remains sidelined with a back injury as well.

NURTURING ENVIRONMENT

Maurice was asked about the importance of providing a nurturing environment for his young players.

“Nurture doesn’t get thrown around in hockey circles an awful lot. I’m not going to fire that out as an excuse but it’s really interesting that it’s not used around here,” said Maurice. “With young teams around the league, that’s all you hear. We’re a good young team, we’re a good young team, but here (people) are frustrated by the lack of development. I don’t understand that.

“I also wasn’t here and don’t want to talk about that. But we have young players and I think we can do something with the players that we have.”

FIRST MEETING

Maurice began the lengthy process of getting to know his players personally at the end of Wednesday’s workout, chewing the fat with rookie Jacob Trouba about something they have in common.

“He’s from Rochester (Michigan) and I played my junior in Windsor. He played for Compuware, which is the program I ran,” said Maurice. “So we were talking about Oak Park Arena. You have to see it to believe it. We went through that and that’s all that was. I know where’s he’s from and a little bit about him, so it’s a little easier conversation to start the next time.”

THE REUNION?

Jets centre Olli Jokinen was asked if he still keeps in touch with former Flames goalie and fellow Finnish countryman Miika Kiprusoff, who retired at the end of last season.

“A little bit,” said Jokinen. “He’s there (in Calgary), playing beer (league) hockey and playing forward. He’s the kind of guy that you call him and he might return your phone call four months later. He’s the type of guy that doesn’t really use his cell phone much. He’s probably doing a lot of skiing, hunting.”

“We’ll see. It doesn’t matter where I play, just work hard and play my game,” said O’Dell, who is riding a two-game goal-scoring streak. “It’s good they’re noticing me out there and shaking me around.”

O’Dell, who was leading the St. John’s IceCaps in scoring at the time of his recall, has two goals in eight games with the Jets while averaging just under seven minutes of ice time per game.</